Carton flap sealing machine



g- 11, 1959 8 c. D. KEELY 2,898,820

' CARTON FLAP SEALING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1955 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 t 43 27 1- 252 E 32 m k FIG. I.

' Y INVENTORQ v Clifford D. Keely i 7. BY

772010.; w @zww fiw A TTORNEYS Aug. 11, 1959 c@ D. KEELYV CARTON FLAP SEALING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.- 2.

INVENTOR. Clifford o. Keely BY 7720134, $0514, Wvfifiw A T TOR/VEYS Aug. 11, 1959 'c. D. KEELY CARTON FLAP SEALING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 30, 1955 FIG. 3.

FIG.7.

INVENTOR. Clifford 0. Keely FIGQS. BY.

Arron/45x5 C. D. KEELY CARTON FLAP SEALING MACHINE Aug. 11,1959

Filed Dec. 30, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4.

FIG. 8.

INVENTOR. Clifford D. Keely 72208 72084 @mw M Arm/Mfrs FIG. 5.

Unite CARTON FLAP SEALING MACHINE Clilford D. Keely, West Englewood, N.J., assignor 'of one-half to Raymond J. Baisley, Hempstead, NY.

Application December 30, 1955, Serial No. 557,227

11 Claims. (Cl. 93-49) My present invention relates to the art of box making using double-faced corrugated board. In such art various groups of operations must be gone through, each group requiring a separate machine or mechanism. One such group of operations comprises those of folding down and sealing the bottom flaps of a tubed blank (i.e. as seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings). It is the principal ob ject of the present invention to provide improved mechanism for routing such blanks through a circuit which returns them to the operator after performing upon them the operations of flap folding gluing and pressing until the glue is adequately set.

A still further object is to provide an improved fiap gluing mechanism. Except in the case of boxes having a square cross-section, the end closure flaps do not meet in the center (see Fig. 3(c) It is of prime importance when glue is applied to these flaps, that no glue be deposited within the boxes themselves through the gap between leading and trailing end flaps. My improved mechanism is characterized by extreme precision whereby the glue may be applied as far as the end of the advancing end flap, the streams of glue stopped when the gap is reached, and recommenced when the trailing flap passes under the glue nozzles. So far as this feature is concerned, the present application is a continuation in part of my prior application, Serial Number 337,708, filed February 19, 1953.

Other objects will be apparent as the description proceeds, and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

For a complete understanding of the invention reference may now be had to the following detailed description taken with the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of an illustrative embodiment of my invention as seen from the front;

Fig. 2 is a similar view as seen from the rear with parts removed;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the course of the blanks through the machine in eight positions, designated by letters a to h inclusive;

Fig. 4 is a plan view partly diagrammatic, showing the drive means for the machine;

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram illustrative of the circuits involved;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a tubed box blank ready to be placed upon the dummy or form of Fig. 7;

Fig. 7 shows in perspective, said dummy; and

Fig. 8 is a detailed view of the glue applying nozzle.

Referring now to Fig. l, 10 denotes the frame of the machine which comprises a front portion 11 comprising an operators table in which are journaled, undriven, but freely rotatable roll sets 12, 13, separated by platform 12a upon which the dummy 14 of Fig. 7 having rollers 15 may be freely movable when placed thereon with the rollers 15 crosswise to the rolls 12, 13. As an aid to the understanding of the construction and operation of the machine, let it be supposed that the tubed carton blank 16 of Fig. 6 is placed upon the dummy as seen in (a) ice Fig. 3. The dummy, which may be of either wood or metal framework, is of such size and shape as to provide a fit for the tubed blank which is placed thereover, with the top 17 on a level with the fold lines 18 of the top flaps denoted collectively by 19. It will also be noted that at the start of the operation, the dummy bearing the tubed blank is fed by hand into the machine upon the left set of rollers 12, Fig. 1 with the rollers 15 at right angles to the rollers 12. Because of the freely turning rollers 12 however, the dummy is readily moved into the machine and upon continuously moving conveyor 20. While on said conveyor the dummy and blank are held against wobbling from side to side by means of adjustable guides 21, 22 provided with guide rollers 23, 24 respectively. With the dummy and blank thus launched upon conveyor 20, the operator presses down the rear flap 25, Fig. 3 at about the same time the front flap 26 is brought into contact with a plow or deflector 27 which operates to fold down said front or advancing flap 26 as shown in the position (b) of Fig. 3. In its further advance, the now folded down flaps 25, 26 receive glue stripes 28, Fig. 3(a) from nozzles or jets 29. Following this the side flaps 30, 31 come under the influence of plows or deflector bars 32p, 33p which, though in fixed positions, operate to fold down said flaps upon the freshly glued surfaces of flaps 25, 26 in the manner as illustrated in Fig. 3(d), as an incident of the forward motion of the carton blank.

The control of the glue deposition above mentioned is had by means of adjustably disposed switches 32, 33, 34, 35 of Fig. 5, one such switch as for example 32, being shown in Fig. 1. Thus switch 32 starts a flow of glue which is contained under pressure in the bottle 36 and flows through pipe 37 to the nozzles 29, the same being provided with an electrically operated valve of known construction and shown in detail in my aforementioned S.N. 337,708. Thus when the blank hits switch 32, the flow of glue is started and is stopped when switch 33 is hit. At this point the glue stripe has been applied to flap 26. Following stopping of the glue flow by the action of switch 33, the box is allowed to travel the distance between the end of flap 26 and the beginning of flap 25 in order that no glue may be deposited in the space between said flaps where it would not he wanted. Upon contact of switch 34, the flow of glue recommences and is terminated by the action of switch 35 when the glue has been deposited upon flap 25. The position of switches 3235 may be varied in a longitudinal direction in order to that boxes of different size and shape may be accommodated.

All four flaps having been folded down and sealed as per Fig. 3(d) and held in such position by the action of a resiliently supported or floating plate 38, depending from frame 10 by rods 38a, it remains to maintain the pressure of the glued flaps over a time interval during which the glue will set and the completed box returned to within the reach of the operator. The mechanism for accomplishing this automatically will now be described.

It will be noted that when the folding of the flaps has been completed the blanks have reached supporting and conveying rollers 39. These are driven at the same rate of speed as conveyor 20 through drive connections shown in Fig. 4, and travel of the blank in its forward course is completed when switch 46? is reached, Fig. 1, whereupon the dummy bearing the folded down bottom flaps is transferred over an unobstructed transverse course comprising the roll set 39, platform 41 and roll set 42 similar to roll set 39 but driven independently of said set 39 as will be obvious from Fig. 4. The mechanism for eifecting the movement of the dummy upon the transverse course is as follows:

A pusher 43 is mounted upon a bar 44 whose undersurface constitutes a rack which engages a pinion 45. In turn the pinion is journaled in the end of a piston rod 46 connected to a piston 47 within cylinder 48. It will be noted that while pinion 45 engages the rack 44 at the top of the pinion, it also engages a stationary rack 49 attached to frame with this result: movement of the pinion 45 back and forth due to the action of the piston 47 causes the pinion-45 to rotate by the action of rack 49 and this rotation of the pinion serves to move the rack of .bar 44. Because the pinion 45 has both a movement of translation and of rotation, the rack-bar 44 bearing the pusher 43 will move approximately twice the throw of the piston 47. Therefore when the dummy contacts the switch 40, the pusher 43 is operated by reason of the fact that air is ad.- mitted to the proper side of piston 47 by piping not shown, and the dummy is pushed along its transverse course to occupy a position on the roll set 42, it being noted that this timed movement of the dummy is accomplished by sliding on its own rollers which are crosswise to roll sets 39, 42. As the carton passes through the position 3(d) and into the return course, switches 50, 51 are successively actuated. The switch 50 acts to admit air to the reverse side of the piston to return the pusher 43, while switch 51 acts to start motor A of the return conveyor system comprised by rollers 42 and conveyor 52 which are interconnected through the drive mechanism represented by electric motor A and drive chains and sprockets shown in Fig. 4 (electric motor B serves continuously to drive the conveyor and the roll set 39 likewise as seen in Fig. 4). Movement of the dummy continues on the return course until switch 53 is contacted which operates to stop the motor A. During this time and while the dummy is on its return course, the flaps which are held down are under the influence of rollers 54 which are adjustably secured by means of depending rods 55 which are attached to'horizontal angle irons 56 serving to provide bearings for said rollers 54. Thus during the return travel of the now completed boxes, the freshly glued bottom flaps are maintained under the pressure of said rollers 54, in order that the glue may be properly set when the boxes reach the end of the return course. Furthermore each box remains stationary in said return course until the conveyor 52 is actuated by the arrival of the succeeding box hearing dummy. This intermittent movement of the boxes on the return course thus continues until the position (g) of Fig. 3 is reached, at which time the dummy is now resting upon roll set 13, whereupon the operator removes the completed box from the dummy and replaces it with a new tubed blank and slides it over upon roll set 12 and a new cycle is recommended.

It will be seen that the intermittent movement ofthe return conveyor 42 serves to increase the time for the glue to set while such return course to the approximate starting point is traversed.

After the box has been filled, it may be put through the same machine right side up, without the use of the dummy, and the flaps constituting the top ofthe box sealed in exactly the same manner that the bottom flaps were sealed. The box having reached the end of its forward course is transferred to the return course by the action of the pusher 43 which has sufiicient power to cause the box to slide up the roll set 39, platform 41, and roll set 42 without the aid of rollers as in the case of the dummy 14.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments -of my invention. I do not wish however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I .desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1.1111 a machine for sealing the flaps of cartons in which expandedcarton iblanks are first placed on carrier forms by means of which said blanks are propelled through the machine, said forms permitting said flaps to stand free thereof and to be folded down thereagain st and in which a forward course of travel and a return course of travel are provided together with a communicating transverse course between said courses first mentioned, a conveyor for said forms disposed in said forward course, a conveyor disposed in said return course, gluing and fold down devices disposed in said forward course and operative to apply glue to a pair of said flaps, and to fold down one pair thereof upon the other pair with the applied glue there-between, conveyor means actuated by the arrival of a form upon said transverse course for moving same there-along tosaid return course, means actuated by the arrival of said form upon said return course conveyor for moving said return course conveyor an increment sufficient to make room for the arrival thereon of the succeeding form, and means for applying holddown pressure on said glued flaps during the travel of said forms in said return course.

2. The machine according to claim 1 in which the means in said transverse course consists of conveyor elements separate from said forward conveyor for continuing the movement of the forms onto said transverse course, and pusher means acting to move each form transversely to its movement on said forward course along said transverse course.

3. The machine according to claim 2 in which conveyor elements included in the transverse course comprise rollers axially parallel to said transverse course whose rotation forwardly moves the forms supported thereon in said forward course, together with supporting means in the form of rollers axially parallel to said forward course, said rollers last mentioned being disposed upon the bottom of said forms and permitting same to have a movement axially of said rollers first mentioned.

4. The machine according to claim 3 including a pusher disposed between said rollers for moving said forms axially thereof.

5. In a machine for sealing the flaps of cartons in which expanded .carton blank tubes are first placed over carrier forms by means of which said blanks are propelled through the machine, said forms permitting said flaps to stand free thereof and to be folded down thereagainst, and in which a forward course of travel and a return course of travel are provided together with a communicatingtransverse course between said courses first mentioned, a continuously driven conveyor in said forward course, an intermittently driven conveyor in said return course, means for transporting said forms upon said transverse course to said return course, and means actuated by the. arrival of said forms upon said return course for actuating said return course vconveyor to advance the forms toward the point of commencement of travel and .hold down means above said return course for applying pressure upon theglued flaps during their travel therein, said return course conveyor being substantially stationary during intervals between arrivals of succeeding forms whereby .to increase the setting time of the glued flap surfaces.

6. A machine according to ,claim 5 -in which said forward c urse terminatesin rollers which further advance the travel of the forms in said ,forwardcourseand means for moving said forms in said transvers e course comprising a pusher for said forms, and rollers upon said forms whose axes are at right angles -to.those of said forward course.

A mac ineaccording oclaim h h. ro le c stitute the beginning of said return c o urse Whose axes are ,at right angles to the.direction of movement of the forms upon said return course, and which constitute a .partof said transversecourse aredriven with said return course conveyor.

;8. In a machine 'forsealing :therend iflapsiof cartons ,in which expanded carton'blanksareplaced on carrier forms and are carried by said forms through .the machine, said forms permitting said flaps tostandfree thereof and to be folded down thereagainst, and in which a forward cflllrse travel and a return-course of travel are provided together with a communicating transverse course between said courses first mentioned, a conveyor for said forms disposed in said forward course, a conveyor disposed in said return course, gluing and fold-down devices disposed in said forward course and operative to apply glue to a pair of infolded end flaps, and to fold down one pair of side flaps upon the infolded end flaps with the applied glue therebetween, conveyor means actuated by the arrival of a form upon said transverse course for moving the same therealong to said return course, means for applying holddown pressure on said adhering flaps throughout the travel of the form along the transverse course, means operating the return conveyor in such relation to the moving of the forms along the transverse course, that a form is advanced between its arrival at the introductory end of the return course and the arrival of the next following form at the same point, a distance sufiicient, at least, to make room for the reception thereon of said succeeding form, and means for applying holddown pressure on each adhering flap during the travel of said form in said return course.

9. In a machine for sealing the flaps of cartons in which expanded carton blank tubes are placed over carrier forms and are carried by said forms through the machine, said forms permitting said flaps to stand free thereof and to be folded down thereagainst, and in which a forward course of travel and a return course of travel are provided together with a communicating transverse course between said courses first mentioned, a continuously driven conveyor in said forward course, means in the forward course for holding a pair of end flaps infolded, means for applying glue to said end flaps, means for folding the side flaps over onto the end flaps, a driven conveyor in said return course, means for transporting said forms upon said transverse course to said return course, means for applying holddown pressure on said adhering flaps throughout the travel of the form along the transverse course, means operating the return conveyor in such relation to the moving of the forms along the transverse course that a form is advanced between its arrival at the introductory end of the return course and the arrival of the next [following form at the same point, at least a form length along the return course, and holddown means above said return course for applying pressure upon the glued flaps during their travel therein.

10. In a machine for adhesively uniting the flaps at one end of a carton blank, in combination, nozzle means at a single adhesive applying station, means for advancing a blank in tubed form with one pair of said end flaps infolded but spaced from one another and disposed to travel one after the other in operative proximity to said nozzle means, and with the other pair of said end flaps upstanding at opposite sides of the traveling carton, such infolded flaps requiring that the adhesive be intermittently supplied with an interruption to prevent the adhesive from being discharged between them to the interior of the blank through the gap which intervenes between them, means actuated by the movement of the blank for turning on the adhesive supply at said nozzle station only after the leading infolded flap comes beneath the nozzle means to cause the nozzle means to discharge adhesive onto the leading infolded flap, means actuated by further movement of the blank for shutting off such supply before the gap comes beneath the nozzle means, means actuated by still further movement of the blank for again turning on said adhesive supply after such gap has passed the nozzle means, means responsive to additional movement of the blank for shutting off the adhesive supply before the second infolded flap moves clear of the nozzle means, and means for folding in the upstanding flaps into contact 'with the flaps on which the adhesive has been discharged to constitute an end closure of the carton.

11. In a machine for adhesively uniting the flaps at one end of a carton blank, in combination, nozzle means located at a single liquid adhesive applying station, means for advancing a blank in tubed form with one opposed pair of end flaps folded down and toward one another but spaced from one another and disposed to travel one after the other in operative proximity to said nozzle means, and with the other associated pair of said end flaps free to extend upward, at opposite sides of the traveling carton, such infolded flaps requiring that the adhesive be intermittently applied, with an interruption to prevent the adhesive from flowing through the space between them, means actuated by the movement of the blank for turning on the adhesive supply to said nozzle means only after the leading infolded flap comes beneath the nozzle means to apply glue to the leading folded flap, means actuated by further movement of the carton blank for shutting off of such supply before the trailing end of the leading end flap reaches the nozzle means, means actuated by still further movement of the blank for again turning on said supply after the gap between flaps has moved past said nozzle means, means for stopping the adhesive flow before the trailing flap has moved clear of the nozzle means, and means for folding in the upstanding flaps into contact with the flaps on which the adhesive has been applied to constitute an end closure of the carton.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,547,963 Neal Apr. 10, 1951 2,585,330 Kayser Feb. 12, 1952 2,609,306 Pasotti Sept. 2, 1952 2,633,063 Ohm Mar. 31, 1953 2,804,043 Netzley Aug. 27, 1957 

